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Swan Rampe living his dream

Adrian Warren

Having helped put Sydney's little brother in his place, boom Swans' rookie Dane Rampe will fulfil a personal AFL dream when he plays against West Coast next weekend.

Defender Rampe has been the find of the season for the premiers, playing 13 games, including each of the past 11.

With Alex Johnson sidelined for the whole season, Rhyce Shaw playing just two games and Marty Mattner retiring in mid-season Rampe has earned plaudits form coach John Longmire for his consistency.

He equalled his career-best tally of 18 possessions in Sunday's 129-point rout of Greater Western Sydney and also kicked his first senior goal.

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A Sydney product, who lives a handful of kilometres form the SCG, Rampe will play his first senior game in Perth this weekend.

He grew up watching the rivalry between the Swans and Eagles, highlighted by the incredibly close 2005-06 grand finals between the two clubs.

"I grew up idolising the players in both teams, the Cousins the Judds and the Kerrs and then on our side the Kirks and the Boltons," Rampe said.

"I was very aware of the rivalry we had back in that era, and obviously its a dream come true to be part of it now".

He said the Swans were pleased with their four-quarter effort against GWS and handing out a thrashing to their local rival.

"We did speak about that before we went out," Rampe said.

"We've played them a few times and we haven't really made our mark and really asserted our authority over them we think we do have and I think the respect that we deserve." Rampe credited Sydney's senior players for his development his season after he played in the Sydney competition in 2012 following three years at Williamstown.

He played soccer at Newington, a renowned rugby union school, which has produced two of Australia's greatest Wallabies, halfback Nick Farr-Jones and hooker Phil Kearns.

"They tried to get me to play rugby a few years back. It might have been a different story if I had changed to the rugby." Rampe said.

"I still have to pinch myself sometimes at how unbelievably lucky I am to play for my home club and still living at home with my parents."